Quick-detachable dam for the molds of centrifugal casting machines



Se pt.

M. :.A. MIKESH' QUICK DEVTACHABLE my FOR THE MOLDS OF CENTRIFUGAL CASTING MACHINES Filed Nov. 17, 1924 k I II JNVEIQT OR. I I I M)??? Maris/l A TTOjRNEYS.

M ZWZW Patented Sept. 20, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARTIN A. mxnsn, or MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR To A. o. smrn coa- PORA'IION, or MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK QUICK-DETAGHABLE DAM FOR THE HOLDS OF GENTRIFUGAL OASTING ..MACHINES.

Application filed November 17, 1924. semi No. 750,818;

comes an important factor from the moment that the molten metal has been poured into the mold.

It is desirable that the casting may be extracted from the mold immediately that congelation of the metal in a certain degree hastaken/place, and to enable this result to be achieved without loss of time is the principal I purpose of my invention. The devices heretofore used for attaching dams to centrifugal molds have been somewhat complicated.

It has not been possible to make the desired quick detachment, and much delay has been encountered by reason of the time required in the operations looking to the removal of the dam or cover from the mold.

My construction permits the dam or cover to be removed from the mold in a very brief period of time. It comprises devices which are adapted to connect and firmly retain the dam or cover in position during the casting operation, and which can be operated so as .and permit instant removal of the dam or cover, and so afford access to the newly formed casting then in themold and enable its withdrawal to be efiected promptly.

Suchdevices are embodied in the provision upon the dam or cover of a series of pivoted latches which are operated into looking engagement with the mold, and which when so operated serve to firmly secure the dam or cover in position upon the mold. Reverse movement of the latches will break the connection and free the' dam or cover for removal from the mold.

The'latches are cam-actuated by means of slides also carried by the dam or cover, the slides being movable in one direction to efiect the locking engagement, and in the other direction to break such engagement.

' The paths of movement of the slides are such that centrifugal force acting upon the said 'sli-des will tend to increase the locking of the parts during the casting operation.

Means are also provided for adjusting the parts comprising the dam or cover so as to to bring about an immediate disconnection determine very accurately the manner of'the engagement of the dam or cover with the mold.

In all former constructions of devices of the class to which the present invention relates,.1t was necessary in applying the dam or coverto the mold to bring-the parts into a condition of accurate registry, in view of the fact that the co-operating attaching means upon the mold always bore a fixed relation thereto, and it was required that the like devices on the dam be aligned therewith before attachment could be made. But in my invention, the locking means carried by the dam are engageable with the mold in any position of the latter, so that the necessity for ad uStmg the parts to secure alignment and permit fastening is obviated.

The novel features of the invention will be pointed out inthe appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Flgure 1 is a view in side elevation of a rotating mold, partly in section, and showmg my improved devices in the position whlch they assume in looking the dam or cover to themold.

Fig.2 is a fragmentary view in the sectional plane ofFigxl, and showing the said devices in the reverse or unlocking position.-

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the mold, viewed from the right in Fig. 1, and showing 1n section on the line' 3--3, Fig. 1, parts of the construction.

Fig. 4 is a detailed sectional view on the l1ne 4-4, Fig. 4. i

,Fig. 5 is a sectional view similar to Figs.

1 and 2, showing a slight modification in the. I

construction Referring now to the drawing, the rotat mg tubular mold 10, open atone end, may be of usual form and mounting. At its mouth, and formed concentrically with the hollow of the mold, is a circular step 11, which receives a circular shoulder 12 upon the dam 13, the latter being in the general form of an annulus, and provided with a central openin through which the molten metal is introduced into the mold during the casting operation. The dam 13 is provided with a radial outer or circumferential flange 14, and supports a concentrically mounted ring 15. The latter is provided with a. plurality of inwardly extending radial ears 16, into which are threaded the ends of screws 17, the heads of which are countersunk in openings in the flange 14, of the dam so as to draw the ring toward the dam. Other 13 may be secured and maintained.

Radially operating latches 19 of peculiar formation are mounted upon pins 20 set in the ears 16, transversely of the axis of the I V mold, the said latches 19 having the general form of bell cranks, the longer arm of which is provided upon its inner side with a catch 21 designed to take over a circumferential rib 22, formed exteriorly upon the mold at the mouth thereof, which catches are adapted to be locked in engagement with the rib 22 when the latches are turned upon their pivots. rings and are adapted to move longitudinally of the mold through the cars 16, such slides being provided upon their undersides with cams 24 which are adapted to move over the cam. shaped ends upon the outer sides of the latches 19. The short and outwardly projecting arm 26 of the latch or bell crank 19 is adapted to be struck by the heel of the cam 24 when the slide 23 is retracted, and so rotate the latch 19 upon its pivot as to disengage the catch-21 from the rib 22. This reverse movement of the slide 23 separates the cams 24 and 25 from their locking engagement, and frees the latch 19 for its outward movement of rotation when struck .by the heel of the cam 24.

With the parts disposed as shown in Fig.

3, the dam13 may be placedln position and secured to the mold 10 rega'rdlessof the relative positions of the parts, inasmuch as the said catches may take over the rib 22 in any osition of the mold without" the necessity or establishing a registering or definite rotary relation between the said catches-and the rib on the mold. The engaging faces of the cams 24 and 25 are inclined to the line of movement of the slide 23,- so that when longitudinal movement is imparted to the slides by the a plication of pressure to the near or outer en s thereof,

the cams 24 move over the earns 25 with a wedgin action, and the result is the rotation of the atches 19 so as to engage the catches 21 with the rib 22 of the mold, and securely fasten or look the dam in position upon the mold. With the cams in the position shown in Fig. 1, the frictional engagement is ordinarily suflicient to retain the parts. When it is desired to remove the dam 13 in order to permit extraction of the newly formed casting from the mold, it is necessary only to apply pressure to the opposite or inner ends of the slides 23, so that the cam 24 will be moved outof engagement with the cam 25. In such movement, the heel of the cam Slides 23 are mounted in the 24 strikes the short arm 26 of the latch 19, and rotates the latter, thus breaking the engagement of the catch 21 with the rib 22 upon the mold. The dam 13 may thereupon be removed. i

The slides 23 are guided for movement in paths which diverge slightly from the axial line of the mold, to effect locking of the parts, the purpose of this arrangement being to utilize the centrifugal force exerted upon the said slides in the rotation of the mold as a means for further advancing the slides and holding the cams in engagement,

thus neglativing any tendency to retraction during t e casting operation.

Fig. 5 shows a simple modification in the permit .a slight rocking movement of the latch 19 independently of the slide 23.

This arrangement may be used in case the ga e the rib 22, and the movement of the Should I relative proportions of the cam 24, the cam f being somewhat reduced in length so as to sli e 23 might be such that the .cam 24 would move back into engagement. with the cam 25, thus locking the latch upon the ring 22. But it will be seen' from the construction shown in Fi 5, in which an idle movement is provide influence of gravity cannot move the slide 23 far enough to cause the cam 24" too engage the cam 25 on the said latch.

To prevent the latch 19 from over-running and swinging into an inoperative position, where it might contact with the front edge ofthe mold, it may be provided with a projection 27 which W111 act as a stop b engagement with the dam 13 at a suita le point upon the inside thereof. Such a projection is indicated in Fig. 5.

The construction may be-simplified by forming the ring 15 with the ears 16 as infor the cam 24, that the reverse movement of the latch 19 under the tegral parts of the dam, and omitting the provisions for adjustment.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

us i

1. In a centrifugal casting machine, a

in closing position machine, a rotatable mold having an open end and provided with locking means, a dam for closing the mold, and co-operating locking means carried by the dam for securing the dam upon the mold.

4. In acentrifugal casting machine, a mold having an open end and provided exteriorly with locking means, a dam, and cooperating locking means carried by the dam for engaging the locking means first mentioned, to secure the dam upon the mold.

5. In a Centrifugal casting machine, a mold having an open end and provided with a circumferential rib, a dam for closing the mold, a plurality of latches carried by the dam, and means for engaging the latches with the said rib to secure the dam upon the mold. 4

6. In a centrifugal casting machine, a mold having an open end and provided exteriorly with locking means, a dam for closing the mold, latches mounted upon the dam,

' and cams for actuating the latches into engageinent with the locking means first mentioned to 'secure the dam upon the mold.

7. In a centrifugal casting machine, a mold having an open end and provided exteriorly with a circumferential rib, a dam, pivoted latches carried by the dam, and slides having cams adapted to move the latches into locking engagement with the said rib to secure the dam upon the mold.

8. In a centrifugal casting machine, a mold having an open end, a dam, an adjustable ring upon the dam, and means upon the ring for engaging the mold to lock the dam in closing position thereon.

9. In a centrifugal casting machine, a mold having an open end, a dam therefor, and radially'movable means carried by the dam for securing the latter in closing position upon the mold.

10. In a centrifugal casting machine, a mold having an open end, a dam therefor, movable means carried by the dam for connecting the dam to the mold, and means for actuating such connecting means.

11. In a centrifugal casting machine, a mold, a dam therefor, means for connecting the dam to the mold, and means carried by the dam and operating upon such connecting means to break the connection of the dam with the mold.

12. In a centrifugal casting machine, 'a mold, a dam therefor, means carried by the dam forconnecting the dam to the mold,

I and means for acting upon the said connecting means to break the connection of the dam with the mold.

13. In a centrifugal casting machine, a mold, a dam therefor, movable means for connecting the dam to the mold, and devices for actuating such means into connecting position and by a reverse movement to break such connection.

14. In a centrifugal casting machine, a mold, a dam therefor, means carried by the dam for connecting the dam to the mold, and Wedging devices for actuating said movable connecting means.

15. In a centrifugal casting machine, a mold, a dam therefor, movable means for connecting the dam to the mold, and wedging devices for actuating said movable connecting means.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name at Milwaukee, this 12th day of November,1924.

M. A. MIKESH. 

